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A red 2022 Toyota Sienna XSE is shown from the front driving through a city.

8 Reasons the 2022 Toyota Sienna is More Than a Minivan

Are you and your family quickly outgrowing your current vehicle? Running errands around town, navigating your commute, and picking up the kids from school can become stressful as you try to fit groceries, backpacks, and other items into your overburdened crossover or SUV. You know it’s time for an upgrade, but you’re not thrilled at your options, especially if it means driving a cumbersome minivan that lacks style and capability. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case, thanks to models like the 2022 Toyota Sienna.

Yes, the Sienna is Toyota’s minivan, but the automaker goes to great lengths to break the mold of the segment. For starters, the Sienna resembles a full-size SUV with its muscular body and aggressive stance. It’s also wildly efficient with its standard hybrid powertrain, while the all-new Sienna Woodland Edition can satisfy your family’s sense of adventure and wanderlust. Here’s more of what you can expect from the 2022 Sienna.

#1 – It’s Spacious

The 2022 Sienna is an ideal family vehicle because of its spacious cabin that can comfortably seat up to eight and carry a variety of cargo with 101 cubic feet of space with the second and third-row seats folded. You and your front passenger will enjoy 40.1 inches of headroom, 62.4 inches of shoulder room, and 40.3 inches of legroom, while your second-row passengers have 39.9 inches, 62.7 inches, and 39.9 inches of head, shoulder, and legroom, respectively. Unlike many other minivans, the Sienna offers a spacious third row with 37.4 inches of headroom, 58.5 inches of shoulder room, and 38.7 inches of legroom.

The white interior of a 2022 Toyota Sienna XSE shows two rows of seating.

#2 – It’s the Perfect Temperature

The Sienna’s spacious cabin makes way for plenty of comfort features that ensure you and your passengers enjoy your time on the road. This starts with the Sienna’s best-in-class four-zone climate control system. Let’s say that you’re freezing in the driver’s seat, but your third-row passengers are burning up. With the four-zone system, you can set the temperature for each zone and keep everyone comfortable and happy wherever they’re sitting. There is even a separate control panel in the back seat so your passengers can control their own climate settings.

This comfort extends even further with the Sienna’s available heated and ventilated front seats. This feature gives you and your copilot added comfort by heating or cooling the seats, depending on your preference. When you outfit the Sienna with captain’s chairs in the second row, your passengers will enjoy similar luxury with heated seats that are ideal for any season.

#3 – It’s Designed with Kids in Mind

Think about your last family vacation and how often you were asked, “Are we there yet?” Toyota can’t eliminate this pesky question entirely, but the automaker does its best to give your younger passengers plenty of ways to enjoy their time in the backseat with the available entertainment center. When you add the feature, the Sienna is equipped with a 1080p HD 11.6-inch display with HDMI inputs, a remote, and two wireless headphones. This gives your passengers the option to watch their favorite shows and stream movies, whether you’re venturing out of town or you’re in the middle of the woods on a family campout.

#4 – It’s Ready for Adventure

Toyota finally realized that just because a family opts to drive a minivan doesn’t have to mean giving up their sense of wanderlust or their desire to venture off the beaten path. This is the inspiration for the 2022 Sienna Woodland Special Edition, which is designed for light off-roading. Offering seating for seven with second-row captain’s chairs, the Woodland Edition also comes with Toyota’s Split & Stow 3rd Row Seat and kick-activated power sliding rear doors that make it more convenient to load and stow your gear.

The Woodland Edition is instantly recognizable from the outside with its black badging, 18-inch alloy wheels, roof rails with crossbars, and tow hitch. It also sits higher to offer better ground clearance and comes standard with Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive that boosts its capability on the trail. You can use the 120-volt AC outlet to power small tools and equipment on the trail or at your campsite. You’ll also want to take advantage of the Sienna’s 3,500-pound towing capacity to haul your four-wheeler to the woods or your jet ski to the lake for the weekend.

A grey 2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition is shown towing a small camper through the forest.

#5 – It’s Surprisingly Efficient

It’s hard to find a minivan that’s as efficient and responsive as the 2022 Sienna. Toyota continues to set new standards in the segment by offering the Sienna with a standard hybrid powertrain. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is paired with dual electric motors to deliver 245 horsepower. The engine is mated to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission with a sequential shift mode that adds to its efficiency. You can also customize how the Sienna performs on various terrain with modes like Normal, Eco, EV, and Sport. These components work together to make the Sienna the most efficient in the segment, with a combined fuel economy of 36 mpg, which means less money spent on fuel.

#6 – It’s Safe

Safety is a top priority for many families, and Toyota delivers an impressive suite of standard safety features. Every Sienna is equipped with the Star Safety System that includes Traction Control, an Anti-Lock Brake System, Brake Assist, Smart Stop Technology, and Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control. Along with ten airbags throughout the cabin, the Sienna also comes with child-protector rear door locks, three-point seatbelts, a tire pressure monitoring system, and an anti-theft system.

Toyota equips every Sienna with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite. This collection of advanced driver-assistance technologies includes:

  • Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
  • Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist
  • Lane Tracing Assist
  • Automatic High Beams
  • Road Sign Assist
  • Blind Spot Monitor
  • Rear Cross-Traffic Alert with Rear Cross-Traffic Braking
  • Full-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control

While many of these systems only kick in when danger threatens, some of them make your life on the road easier. The Sienna’s dynamic cruise control, for instance, improves upon the traditional tool by constantly monitoring the flow of traffic and adjusting the Sienna’s speed as needed, making it easier to cruise at highway speeds.

#7 – It’s Loaded with Tech

The 2022 Sienna is one of the most technologically advanced minivans in the segment. Toyota makes sure you have all the tech you need to stay informed and connected on the road. This technology starts with the 9-inch multimedia touchscreen display that gives you access to your smartphone via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Toyota’s Dynamic Navigation system will show you turn-by-turn directions while Amazon Alexa is always ready to stream your favorite music, give you news and weather updates, make calls, respond to text messages, and more with a simple voice command.

#8 – It Breaks the Mold

It’s not really fair to call the 2022 Sienna a minivan because it looks more like an SUV. It’s stylish and sophisticated, but it’s also responsive, efficient, and fun to drive. The Sienna redefines what it means to drive a minivan, especially with models like the all-new Woodland Special Edition that’s ready for the trail. Safe, comfortable, spacious, and reliable, there’s no doubt that the 2022 Toyota Sienna is a remarkable family vehicle that’s ready to handle everything from your commute and errands in town to the family campout you’ve been planning for months.